


time it took us to where the water was

by cherrysalad



Series: i hold you like a weapon [2]
Category: The Following
Genre: Angst, M/M, Murder, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-23 00:35:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15594327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherrysalad/pseuds/cherrysalad
Summary: Jacob has known this was inevitable  for a while now.





	time it took us to where the water was

"I did it," Paul says as soon as he's in through the window. Jacob takes a sharp inhale of breath, he doesn't need to ask what, he's been expecting this for months now.

"How?" He asks, trying to keep his voice calm and even.

"I took the fire prod and I bashed his head until I could see brains," Paul answers. He doesn't seem gleeful and he doesn't seem guilty, he seems completely neutral like he watched the scene unfold from far away. "I need you to help me clean up, Jacob." Jacob closes his eyes and nods slowly.

"Of course," he says. It's what he does for Paul, helps him when no one else will. They go around back of Jacobs house and squeeze through the tiny split in the fence that separates their yards.

Inside Paul's house things look almost normal. And then the bright red pool on the kitchen floor catches Jacob's eye, he suddenly feels dizzy and his throat burns as if he might vomit. He grips the back of a chair to steady himself. 

"We need to cut the body into smaller pieces so it will be easier to move, then we'll bag it up and drive to the river where we can dump it," Paul says matter of factly. 

"Alright," Jacob says numbly his eyes fixed on the gruesome scene on the floor. 

"I think he kept some tools in the basement. I'll see if there's a saw or something and then we can get to work," Jacob nods, Paul returns in only a few minutes carrying two hacksaws. He offers one to Jacob and he takes it with shaking hands.  
Paul kneels beside the body and unflinchingly begins to saw off one of the arms, Jacob hesitates before following his example.

He squeezes his eyes shut and tries not to think about the sound of the saw slicing through the flesh or the warm, wet blood that leaks onto his hands. Jacob tries to distance himself, pretend that he's watching it on television, but it doesn't work. By the time they're done he's a trembling, panicky mess. 

While Paul bags up the dismembered body parts Jacob sits on the floor, his knees pulled to his chest. Paul looks at him for a minute and sets the trash bag down, he kneels in front of Jacob and tilts his chin up with two bloody fingers so their eyes meet. 

"Don't freak out on me, okay?" Paul says gently. "Everything is going to be alright." Jacob takes a deep breath, nods and stands up. Each of them take two of the trash bags and carry them out to Paul's car. It's late enough that they can be fairly sure none of the neighbors are peering out their window. They toss the trashbags into the trunk and speed out of their quiet suburban neighborhood.

Paul fiddles with the radio as Jacob stares out the window. At first the road is paved and an occasional car will speed past them, but eventually Paul pulls down a narrow, secluded dirt road. Jacob's not sure how long they drive, but it feels like hours before Paul pulls over next to a trailhead that's barely visible from the road. 

"I used to hike here sometimes," Paul explains as they grab the trash bags from the trunk. "It's only a short walk down to the river." They walk single file down the narrow, overgrown path, chirping and hooting and all kinds of animal noises come from inside the thick, dark forest. He shudders, thinking of what could be hiding in the shadows, and then it suddenly occurs to him that Paul is likely the most dangerous thing in the woods. The realization is as comforting as it is horrifying. 

After a few minutes Jacob can hear the sound of a rushing river and quickens his pace. They reach the rocky shore in less than a minute. Paul tosses his bags in with little care or hesitation and the black bags are carried away by the current. Jacob on the other hand pauses, what of the bags wash up somewhere and somebody opens one? What if- he shakes head firmly as if to dispel the thoughts. Paul knows what he's doing. 

He throws the bags into the river when he can no longer stand the weight of them in his hands. Jacob lets out a shaky, relieved breath. It's done. It's over. There's an ache at the back of his throat that he knows will either expel itself in a laugh or a sob. 

He kneels down, rocks digging into his knees and lets the cool river water rinse the rust colored blood off his hands. 

"Thank you," Paul says, stroking Jacobs hair as he tries to clean himself up. "Thank you so much for doing this for me."

"Of course," Jacob says, his voice breaking. "Of course." Suddenly his eyes are wet and then so are his cheeks, he hides his face in his hands and sobs so hard his shoulders shake.

"Hey," Paul says, his voice deep and grounding. "It's going to be alright." And Jacob knows it's not, but he's made his choice and as Paul rests a gentle hand at the back of his neck he can't bring himself to regret it.


End file.
